


Ashes to Ashes

by transpapyrus



Series: Post-Season 12: The Missing Chapters [2]
Category: Bones (TV)
Genre: AKA Zack finally gets to celebrate with his friends now that he's free, Friendship, Gen, Post-Series, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24602656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transpapyrus/pseuds/transpapyrus
Summary: Zack and Hodgins get their celebratory lunch. (Thirteen months later, of course.)
Series: Post-Season 12: The Missing Chapters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1778317
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	Ashes to Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> More Bones fic in the year of our lord 2020. I'm sorry.
> 
> Anyway I'm still fucked up over Zack's ending so I am going to fix it by thinking about how great things are when he's finally released.

_ “What time does this shindig get started? I want to take my buddy here to a celebratory lunch.” _

Thirteen months later...

“Zack, your friends are waiting for you outside.”

Zack took a last look around the room. The walls were bare, just as they always had been. In his hands, the small bankers box containing his personal items, the few objects that had made this place feel a little less depressing. He couldn’t say much for his sanity now, but he knows he would’ve been worse off without those memories. Still though, it had never felt right. Not like his family’s house in Michigan, or even the apartment above Hodgins’ garage. Strange, how a place he’d lived for ten years could feel so foreign. Never once had he considered it home, despite referring to Hodgins’ place as such, where he’d lived for a significantly shorter amount of time.

“Friends?” he asked, looking over his shoulder to the doorway. He’d been under the impression that only Hodgins was coming to get him. “Oh. Angela. Of course.” She would’ve had to drive him. “Thank you. I’m coming.”

He stepped out, and let the door swing shut behind him for the last time. The nurse led the way down the hall, and he followed slowly, taking in everything, memorizing every step. He’d left dozens of times over the years, but this time was different. 

It almost felt too good to be true. 

But when the door to the lobby swung open, he was greeted by not one, not two, but five smiling faces. They crowded together, and for a moment, no one moved. They stood there, staring at Zack, and in return he looked back at them. It was Brennan who broke the silence, rushing forward and pulling him into a crushing embrace. His box clattered to the ground, and he barely noticed.

“Zack,” Brennan said, holding him tightly against her. “Welcome back.”

Shakily, he lifted his gloved hands and returned the hug. “Doctor Brennan, I was not expecting to see you all today.”

She let him go as Cam spoke up from behind her. “You really thought we would miss this?” 

“Yeah, and let Hodgins have all the fun?” Angela grinned, nudging her husband. He rolled his eyes.

“They all insisted. I told them I was taking you out for lunch, but they refused to stay behind.” Hodgins laughed, and held out his hand. “C’mere, man.”

Zack all but ran to Hodgins, bending down to hug him. “Thank you,” he murmured, quiet enough for only him to hear. 

“Alright, let’s get out of here.” Zack straightened up, turning to look at Booth, who was hovering closer to the door. They stared at each other a moment. “What? Unless you want to stay here, because—”

“No,” Zack said hurriedly. “I’m ready.”

And that’s how they ended up all piled in Booth’s car, Zack and Hodgins wedged in the back seat between Cam and Angela. The drive to the diner passed quickly, everyone talking over each other as they eagerly caught Zack up on the big events of the last few months. He’d heard most of it already — Hodgins had been sure to not keep him in the dark about anything important — but it was nice. He could almost pretend like this was no different than his return from Iraq, what seemed like a lifetime ago.

But it was different.

“When do I get to meet him?” Zack asked Angela. She glanced at Hodgins and grinned. 

“Wendell is watching the boys right now. We thought you could come over after, watch a movie, and of course see Michael Vincent and Zackary.” She laughed. “Sound good?”

“I still can’t believe you named your son after me,” Zack said, shaking his head. 

“ _ I _ can’t believe you actually named him Zackary  _ Rhapsody _ ,” Cam interjected. 

Hodgins sighed. “Tell me about it. But, family tradition. Besides,” he added, cheerfully. “Why  _ wouldn’t _ we name him after you, Zack?”

He scrunched up his face in thought. “Your other son’s namesake is dead,” he said. “So—”

“ _ Okay _ , that’s enough depressing conversation!” Hodgins clapped his hands together loudly. “This is a happy day, remember? Come on, we’re here.”

They crowded inside the diner, and suddenly it was as if no time had passed at all. All six of them, like the old days. They sat there as customers came and went, talking and laughing loudly, and for once, no one seemed to mind. Brennan pulled out case files to show him, Booth and Angela tried to make her put them away, and Zack held onto them, opening them up and pouring over the evidence like it was a mystery novel. Yes, it was good to be back.

“Do you have somewhere to crash?” Cam asked as the waitress brought over their dessert. “Because Arastoo and I—”

“Thank you, Doctor Saroyan, but Doctor. Brennan and Agent Booth are letting me stay with them until I find a new place of my own.” Zack shoveled a forkful of pie into his mouth. “I was hoping to move back in above Hodgins’ garage—”

“But that wouldn’t be any fun, since we don’t live there anymore.” Hodgins nudged him. “Don’t worry, I kept all your stuff. Doctor B has it now.”

Zack glanced at Brennan, who nodded. “That is correct. You can sort through and get rid of anything you don’t want tomorrow.”

He gave both of them a grateful look. “I’d like to go to the lab,” he said. “I see something here I’d like to get a closer look at.” He frowned, then looked over at Cam. “If that’s okay with you, I mean. “I know it’ll probably take you a few days to process my re-employment but—”

Cam shifted uncomfortably. “Zack, we all want you back working at the Jeffersonian, but it’s not that simple.” All eyes were on her now, varying levels of concern, frustration, and sympathy for the harder parts of her job. “There are going to be hurdles. You understand that.”

“I do,” Zack said, nodding, his expression unreadable. 

“I don’t!” Hodgins was barely containing his anger. “Zack, if  _ I _ were still the administrative head—”

“Easy, bug boy.” Booth, who had been fairly quiet until that point, held up a hand. “It’s not Cam’s decision,” he explained to Zack. “The involvement you squints have in FBI cases makes it matter of security.”

Hodgins huffed in annoyance. “So  _ you’re _ the one keeping Zack from getting his job back?”

“It’s okay, Hodgins, I don’t—”

“No, it’s not okay, Zack!” Hodgins rounded on Booth fully. “Hasn’t he been through enough? I know you two aren’t the best of friends, but can’t you give him this one?” There was desperation in his eyes. “ _ Please _ .”

Booth stood up. “If you need someone to blame, fine.” He drew in a breath, steadying himself, and ignored the daggers Hodgins was glaring at him. “Welcome home, Zack,” he said, and walked outside.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Zack turned to Hodgins, looking upset. “I don’t want him to be mad at me.”

Hodgins shook his head. “Yes I did.” He reached across the table and squeezed Zack’s hand. “And he won’t be. Don’t worry.” Zack met his eyes, then glanced at Brennan, who nodded in agreement.

“Booth cares about you, sweetie,” Angela said. “We all do.” 

“I know,” Zack said, and followed Booth with his eyes through the window as he returned to the car.

***

They ended up driving back to the lab after all, though Zack’s enthusiasm had dwindled slightly. In the end, they only stayed a few minutes, long enough for the others to gather their things and split up into their own cars. 

“Aren’t you coming back with us?” Hodgins asked, as Zack started to return to Booth and Brennan’s car. “Your godson still wants to meet you.”

Zack shook his head. “I’ll meet you there in a bit. I need to do something first.” He and Angela exchanged a glance, then shrugged.

“Sure thing.”

The ride with Booth and Brennan was mostly silent. When they arrived, Zack got out of the car, and Booth followed. “Coming Bones?” Booth asked, but Brennan just shook her head. Both men glanced at each other but said nothing as they entered the park.

Zack was quiet as he stared out over the hill at the view down below. He heard Booth’s footsteps as he came up behind him, and hugged his arms to his chest. “This is where Doctor Sweets’ ashes are scattered?” he asked, without turning to look. 

“Yeah,” Booth said, coming to a standstill beside him. “Hard to believe it was.... Almost four years ago.” 

“I know.” Zack’s voice wavered slightly. “He came to see me every week, for six years.” His gaze dropped to the ground. “I found out when a stranger showed up for my appointment instead of him. No one thought to tell me.”

He wasn’t really expecting Booth to apologize, but it still hurt when he didn’t. Zack knew it wasn’t his fault, not really — but Booth had been right earlier. Sometimes he did need someone to blame, and Booth was an easy target. 

But Sweets would probably have some snarky, shrink-y comment to make about that, so Zack decided to keep his thoughts on the matter to himself. 

“He knew,” he said after a minute. Booth looked over at Zack in surprise and confusion. “About me not killing the Lobbyist,” he went on to clarify. “I told him years ago. Early on. I made him promise not to tell anyone. I thought you’d put me in prison.”

Booth said nothing.  _ Confirmation that I’m right, _ Zack thought. “I just thought you — someone — should know now. He was... a good friend.”

Booth smiled slightly. A little sadly. “Yeah. He was.” 

They stood together a few minutes longer, keeping vigil, a silent paying of respects. Finally, Booth reached around, clapping a hand on Zack’s shoulder, just once. No. Not just that, Zack noted. His hand was on his  _ opposite _ shoulder, and his arm was around him. This wasn’t just a sign of approval. This was camaraderie. Friendship, even.

“You ready to go?” Booth asked, and Zack nodded. “Bye, Sweets.”

Zack raised an eyebrow at Booth apparently speaking to nothing but the air around them. But as he turned to go, Zack hesitated a moment longer, glancing out at where the sun was starting to to disappear on the horizon. It wasn’t logical, but somehow, he could almost sense Sweets’ presence. He looked upward, ever so briefly.

_ Thank you. _

Zack turned and followed Booth. 

**Author's Note:**

> Listen Angela and Hodgins ABSOLUTELY name their son after Zack (Michael Vincent really should've been but you know what I'm not gonna get into it), and Zackary Rhapsody is such an atrocious name that it absolutely feels correct.


End file.
